EDINBURGH 2023: Review: MC HAMMERSMITH: STRAIGHT OUTTA BROMPTON, Monkey Barrel Comedy, Monkey Barrel 1

“If you have any ecstasy, take it now”

MC Hammersmith: Straight Outta Brompton is a show that features Will Naameh, “the skinny posh one from Spontaneous Potter” freestyle rapping. The show has a simple concept - Naameh will create improvised hip-hop tracks based on audience suggestions. Entering the room, audience members are invited to scan a QR and give suggestions for words and tell stories that Naameh can incorporate into his upcoming raps. 

You cannot even see the gears in Naameh’s brain turning - He’s just that quick. Within seconds he’s able to jump into a new subject, sometimes starting before the audience finishes applauding his last masterpiece. And it’s not just one or two raps every few minutes; the man is almost constantly rapping, only stopping to talk with audience members and get topics for his new songs. Sure, there is some repetition in the songs, but that is a part of what makes the songs catchy, including one song that used the famous Scottish saying, “Here we, here we, here we f-ing go!”

Naameh does a great job handling audience participation, doing his best to include as many people as possible while still ensuring that everyone is okay with their role in the show. Everyone in the room is made to feel welcome to participate, even in smaller ways like holding up an object from their purse that Naameh can rap about. Once on stage, each audience member is asked their name and occupation, which is incorporated in some way in the upcoming song. Some are given the opportunity to tell personal stories that will be turned into raps, while others simply give a word or two (or life Nammeh up in the air so he can do the splits and lick his elbow).

Ultimately, MC Hammersmith: Straight Outta Brompton is a delightful hour of freestyle rapping that will leave you in awe of Naameh’s skills and clapping along to his sharp and hilarious raps. Brilliant and quick on his feet, Naameh performs one of the most impressive shows that can be found at the Fringe and will almost certainly lead to you trying (and most likely failing) to replicate his talent with your friends after the show. 

MC Hammersmith: Straight Outta Brompton runs at Monkey Barrel Comedy, Monkey Barrel 1 at 12:30 from 16 to 27 August (no performance on 22 August).

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